The present invention relates to pharmaceutical compositions of nitrites and the medical use of these compositions.
Chronic tissue ischemia, i.e., persistent restriction of blood supply to a tissue, can impair tissue function and result in tissue and organ damage, thus contributing significantly to human morbidity and mortality. The chronic tissue ischemia can stem from any of a wide range of medical conditions that result in the persistent or recurring restriction of blood supply to the tissue, e.g., disorders such as peripheral artery disease, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, intermittent claudication, critical limb ischemic disease, stroke, myocardial infarction, inflammatory bowel disease, and peripheral neuropathy; traumatic injuries such as wounds, burns, lacerations, contusions, bone fractures, infections, or surgical procedures; congenital malformations such as hernias, cardiac defects and gastrointestinal defects. Thus, chronic tissue ischemia can occur in a variety of tissue types including, for example, skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, neuronal tissue, skin, mesenchymal tissue, connective tissue, gastrointestinal tissue and bone. Accordingly, there is a continuing need for therapeutic strategies that restore blood supply to affected regions.